Red-Shirts Protest: Suriya And Khattiya Aide Left Off Funds Blacklist

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Suriya and Khattiya aide left off funds blacklist

By The Nation

Probe authorities see grand plan to finance red-shirt protests; 83 face CRES interrogation over movement of funds

BANGKOK: -- Former deputy premier Suriya Jungrungreangkit, Captain Manas Promphao, and Khon Kaen red-shirt leader Ekaraj Changlao have been let off the hook, leaving a total of 83 individuals and companies in the blacklist of those suspected of alleged financial involvement with the red-shirt rallies, a source revealed.

However, the source did not explain why Suriya, industry minister in the Thaksin cabinet, Capt Manas, who was close to the deceased Maj-General Khattiya Sawasdipol, and Ekaraj have been removed from the blacklist.

Tharid Phengdit, the director-general of the Department of Special Investigation (DSI), said that in addition to the names in the blacklist, around 100 other people, including local politicians in Bangkok and elsewhere who received the money, also face criminal action and assets freeze or subsequent seizure.

He did not say whether these people and local politicians are associated with the Pheu Thai Party or are close to former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

However, he said the authorities now have a rather clear view that the people and companies in the blacklist were linked together in a grand scheme to finance the red-shirt protests over the past few months.

The key to further investigation is how the people and companies in the blacklist actually moved the money to the red-shirt operatives, enabling them to go on a rampage bombing and setting fire to buildings in Bangkok.

Beginning next week, the people and management of the companies in the blacklist will be summoned before the Centre for the Resolution of the Emergency Situation (CRES) to answer questions about the unusual movements in their accounts during the red-shirt rallies.

The authorities are now trying to go after the big-time financial sponsors or masterminds of the red-shirt rallies, which left more than 80 people dead and more than 1,000 injured in the worst carnage in modern Thai history.

The Department of Special Investigation, the Anti-Money Laundering Office, the National Anti-Corruption Commission and the Revenue Department have set up eight panels to investigate money flows linked to the acts of terror in Bangkok.

Between September last year and May 2010, more than Bt150 billion circulated among the accounts of these individuals and the companies in the blacklist.

Countering statements by red-shirt leaders that there were no big money transfers involving their bank accounts, Tharit said the CRES, which put together the blacklist, did not cook up the evidence and relied on transaction records supplied by commercial banks.

Tharit said a defamation lawsuit against red-shirt leader Jatuporn Promphan might be filed for his statement that AMLO and DSI agents were attempting to blackmail some people by demanding bribes to not put their names on the blacklist.

Acting AMLO secretary-general Seehanart Prayoonrat said AMLO had submitted the blacklist to the CRES two weeks ago so it would not have been possible for any authorities to attempt to blackmail people named in the list.

He said the investigation into the money flows involved the cooperation and oordination of several agencies.

He said that some people could have disguised themselves as authorities in order to attempt to seek bribes from the individuals named in the blacklist. In such a case, complaints can be lodged with AMLO or DSI.

Jatuporn had earlier made public a bank account of fellow red leader Veera Musigapong to show that contrary to the Bt10 million the DSI and AMLO claimed it had, there was only Bt1 million in it, and a deposit of Bt20,000 was made just once during the red-shirt protests.

-- The Nation 2010-06-19

Related article: Thailand Live Saturday 19 Jun 2010 - Thailand Forum

[SomTumTiger]

Somebody sang for their supper...

[chainarong]

There must be a good reason , can't think of any , but U know how it is. I'd say there's a word covering this subject somewhere.???

[stepenwolf1958]

More and more all what this government is doing looks like a circus.

Ridiculous, to place those names on the list then to take of.

[phupaman]

Hi All.

Makes a lot of sense not to prosecute the Canary's.But will they testify?.

Phupaman

[londonthai]

I don't think anybody would be so naive as to use bank accounts/transfers to sponsor political activity and they wouldn't use it in their own countries. Cash and couriers to transport it is the choice and it's much more difficult/impossible to trace.

so the black list might be just a way to intimidate

[rogercw]

The government seems to be very much interested in locking up the major players in the red-shirt movement and denying them bail. However, it seems to be unable to do the same for the yellow-shirts who also took over government buildings and the airport. A case of the winning faction trying to destroy the losing faction using the legal system and selective prosecutions?

[Thailand]

Back scratching.